Turkish Aerospace reveals name of national combat aircraft as KAAN

Turkey’s fifth-generation fighter jet, previously known as TF-X, has officially received the name KAAN. The name was revealed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during a ceremony on May 1, 2023. Kaan is a Turkic male name meaning “ruler” or “King of Kings”. The indigenous TF-X KAAN fighter jet, developed by the state-owned manufacturer Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), is destined to replace the F-16 within the Turkish Air Force.